Manchester United vs Arsenal: How Old Trafford defined Arsene Wenger’s career more than any other opposing stadium

This might be the weekend when it finally all feels real for Wenger, as he walks out into one of football’s most grandiose theatres for the last time as Arsenal manager

Arsene Wenger is set to return to Old Trafford one final time (Getty)

This might be the weekend when it finally all feels real for Arsene Wenger, as he walks out into one of football’s most grandiose theatres for the last time as Arsenal manager. Coming out that low tunnel, into those wide stands, and alongside that pitch.

That pitch. The pitch that has probably involved more defining moments in his Arsenal career than any other bar Highbury and the Emirates.

This trip to Old Trafford will be the first of all the lasts for Wenger, and that first is at a stadium that has maybe most defined his Arsenal career beyond those two home grounds.

It was where he claimed his first big win in English football, that 1-0 in March 1998 thanks to Marc Overmars’ pace. The manner of that goal symbolised how Manchester United did not just have a side now capable of matching them, but perhaps outstripping, as the win confirmed. That was where the first title was really won.

It was also where his second title was definitively won, in May 2002. Sylvain Wiltord scored the goal that clinched the league and also set Arsenal on the way to a second double.

It was where some of the most memorable moments of one of football’s rare great rivalries happened - the duopoly that defined Wenger as much as anything else - not least the match that ended the invincible run at 49 in October 2004, and that saw all manner of trouble start in the tunnel.

It was even the stadium that first suggested the end game had stared, and what the problems inherent to it were. It was where he suffered that landmark 8-2 humiliation, a defeat that maybe had a greater number of implications than it did goals between the sides.

Most of all, though, Old Trafford was where the purist in Wenger was made to really do battle.

It’s perhaps a pity then that his last trip there is likely to be anything but a battle, since there is so little to fight for. There isn’t much on the line, other than mostly cosmetic points targets that will likely be confirmed elsewhere anyway.

It almost makes this fixture more of an occasion than a football match, one where a lot of the interest is off the pitch; how Wenger is received; whether United do anything for him.

Arsenal and United were fierce rivals throughout much of Wenger's reign (Getty)

Sir Alex Ferguson has already been in regular contact, through text and call, chatting to his old sparring partner.

That in itself almost puts more focus on Jose Mourinho. The Portuguese attempted to spin over a decade’s worth of animosity as “respect” last week, something that a few figures around Arsenal rolled their eyes at. Mourinho had tried a similar trick with Claudio Ranieri.

There’s never been much warmth there, but the rivalry arguably got more volcanic than it ever did with Ferguson. As one person who knows the Arsenal boss well said, “it takes a lot to get Wenger to push someone.”

Then again, there was once a time when Wenger couldn’t bring himself to say Ferguson’s name, only referring to him as “that man” as he clenched his fists.

Wenger and Ferguson shared a defining rivalry (Getty)

But then maybe this is a match where it can start to be healed. Maybe that is one good thing about this fixture being now, because it means Wenger goes here knowing it’s his last game at Old Trafford as Arsenal manager.

He gets to look on it as he should.

He gets to take in the sense of occasion, the site of so many great wins, the site of so many great battles.

He gets to properly appreciate his great opponent’s great stadium, with none of the pressure, and only a game of football to play.

That's the only 'real' Wenger has ever required.